A new staff housing unit is on the way in Whistler Village after getting council's approval.
On May 2, the Resort Municipality of Whistler's (RMOW) mayor and council voted to approve the rezoning of 4204 Village Square to allow for the conversion of underutilized office space on the second storey of the Garibaldi Professional Building into employee housing.
The zoning change will also allow the owners to create a health facility with gym equipment, lockers and change facilities, including ski and bike storage space on the second floor. The owners will convert about 120 square metres of existing office space into a two-bedroom employee housing unit, and roughly 175 square metres of office space into a health facility.
The offices are unused, but the building needs a caretaker—hence the need for the new housing unit, according to a report to council.
The report did not specify if the health facility is intended for public or private use only (Pique is awaiting clarification from the RMOW, and will update this story accordingly).
While the conversion is a relatively small change in the battle for affordable housing, it's a step in the right direction, according to RMOW planner Melissa Laidlaw. “The resident housing has been identified as a top priority for the resort community; the zoning amendment bylaw to facilitate the employee-housing unit on that property is consistent with the goals, objectives, and policies of the OCP,” Laidlaw said in a presentation to council.
“Of note, it is consistent with the evaluation criteria of the rezonings, it’s considered to have no negative impacts on the community and is beneficial to the community in that it provides employee-restricted housing in a central, highly walkable location that is close to local and regional transit, retail and service needs and recreational opportunities.”
Under a Housing Agreement Bylaw and associated covenant signed by the RMOW and the project proponents, rent for the new unit is set at a maximum amount of $3,069 per month for the employee unit (or $1,534.50 per bedroom), with the priority for the housing going to an employee of the owner of the lands, followed by any employee in Whistler.
The building is currently home to Moguls Coffee House, Après Après and retail space on the ground floor, as well as offices on the second floor and tourist accommodation units on the upper floor.
Though it won't make a big dent by any means, the creation of the employee-restricted unit will go towards the RMOW’s goal of creating 1,000 new employee beds by 2023. Councillor Cathy Jewett pointed out the unit's affordability compared to new rental units in Cheakamus Crossing Phase 2.
“It’s a really generous suite; it’s 1,291 square metres, which works out to about $2.37 a square foot, which is really reasonable considering what we’re doing down in Cheakamus Crossing,” Jewett said.
